Wheel horse power unit for wood splitter

[Pat Marchwick 88]

Using a Wheelhorse 10hp as the power plant to run a hydraulic pump that will operate a wood splitter. I am waiting on bases and fittings and thought I would share what I got done,Thought someone would like to see how else a wheel horse can be put to use. I am building a wood splitter using a 10hp Wheelhorse let’s call it a power unit. I stripped it down to just the frame which left me the motor, electrical system, gas tank and clutch assembly.
I built a jack-shaft that I mounted where the battery box was to run the two speed hydraulic pump. The jack shaft has a double clutch pulley on it to match the one on the motor but is reversed so I could run two matched length belts. It should be splitting wood in a week when my hoses and fittings come in. I like the clutch setup on a hydraulic pump, it makes starting the gas motor much easier when you don’t have to turn over the cold hydraulic pump in the winter and should make the pump last longer if it is disengaged when actually not splitting wood.

[ri702bill 8,316]

Pat - that looks to have great potential. Good to see the engine exhaust on the farside.

It appears to be a 1 to 1 ratio on the belt drive. Is the pump sufficiently rated for pressure and output at 3400 or 3500 RPM? Be sure the engine governor is functional too.

The oil tank appears to have more than sufficient capacity for the cylinder to cycle.

Are there hard stops in BOTH directions to keep the piston from bottoming out??

Mounting the directional valve above the cylinder??

Bill

[squonk 41,073]

I like it! Reminds me of those IH power units! 

 

[wallfish 16,994]

Better than just an engine sitting on there!

 

 

20 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

Are there hard stops in BOTH directions to keep the piston from bottoming out??

Curious Bill, why would you want any mechanical hard stops before the end of the piston run? That's how stuff gets broken as hydraulics will certainly find ANY weak point. Could also be dangerous if it let's go and goes flying. I don't believe they actually "bottom out" as the piston inside covers the port to prevent over run and damage to the cylinder or seals. One way cylinders, IDK

[peter lena 8,614]

@Pat Marchwick  looks like a common sense build up to me , love  pillow block bearings , re grease  the inner needle bearing in the PTO   ? also like the love joy coupling , might even consider a magnetic oil heater to your oil tank , greasy , pete

[Handy Don 12,214]

interesting re-purpose of a torsion bar front suspension. Looks a lot like the ones on VW Bugs!

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by Handy Don

[peter lena 8,614]

@Pat Marchwick https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/kats-engine-heaters-magnetic-heater-200w-191958?store=2395&cid=Shopping-Google-L  makes oil heat up easy , just a suggestion , pete

[ebinmaine 67,439]

Excellent build! 

[JoeM 7,873]

got enough room and capacity to put a log loader on the side too. 

[ri702bill 8,316]

2 hours ago, wallfish said:

Better than just an engine sitting on there!

 

 

Curious Bill, why would you want any mechanical hard stops before the end of the piston run? That's how stuff gets broken as hydraulics will certainly find ANY weak point. Could also be dangerous if it let's go and goes flying. I don't believe they actually "bottom out" as the piston inside covers the port to prevent over run and damage to the cylinder or seals. One way cylinders, IDK

Good point there John..... All the Hydraulic actuated automation devices I ever designed had External travel stops - as requested by the customer. The idea was to stall the cylinder at a safe distance before the piston would spank the endcap internally. Usually used as an overtravel stop. This one is full manual operation.....

[Ed Kennell 38,146]

   Now I understand why you needed my PTO bell.    I knew these s would like the build.

 

Thanks for sharing  Pat.

[Moparfanforever 844]

Looks good!! Hope you post a video of it working once you finish it. 

[peter lena 8,614]

 

@Pat Marchwick @ebinmaine  , don't have any hydraulics  for winter usage , but if I did , you can bet I would have a magnetic heater on it , thats so easy / simple , to have warmed up oil  ?  regularly use ,  INCANDESANT  WORK BULBS , in a 10 " reflector  just under my engines , oil pan area is warn , battery tender , is that difficult ? very fast starts , minimal choke . stand the  bulb reflector on its squeeze clamp  end edge , against floor , like it was made for it . Pete 

[ri702bill 8,316]

@peter lena - Just gotta watch out for rodents, or a feral cat, snuggling up to get warm....!!  

[Pullstart 62,838]

So cool!  It looks a little more user friendly than my “power unit”

 

 

[Horse Newbie 7,069]

1 hour ago, Pullstart said:

So cool!  It looks a little more user friendly than my “power unit”

 

 

Did you post anything on the build of that power unit ?

[Pullstart 62,838]

4 minutes ago, Horse Newbie said:

Did you post anything on the build of that power unit ?

Why, yes I did 

 

 

[Horse Newbie 7,069]

1 hour ago, Pullstart said:

Why, yes I did 

 

 

I remember reading most of that thread , but couldn’t recall seeing anything about the power unit part.

I will revisit…

Sorry to highjack @Pat Marchwick

[Pat Marchwick 88]

Ready to go to test tommorow and try it out for its first day of work.

[Handy Don 12,214]

How does this setup handle pressure relief when the piston stalls or hits the end of it’s travel?

[wallfish 16,994]

27 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

How does this setup handle pressure relief when the piston stalls or hits the end of it’s travel?

Pressure relief is normally built into the control valve. If it isn't, I would not rely on a gauge for trying to control it.

[Pat Marchwick 88]

Correct, pressure relief valve is in the control valve. It is set at 3500psi  once it reaches that pressure it bypasses thru the valve into the return line to the tank.  The gauge is there just to see how hard it is working.

Edited October 23, 2023 by Pat Marchwick

[Horse Newbie 7,069]

Have you tried it out yet ?

[Pat Marchwick 88]

I tried it and even made a video but I can’t upload it here because I am only allowed to load 14gb size file and it is 39gb. Sorry

[ebinmaine 67,439]

Just now, Pat Marchwick said:

I tried it and even made a video but I can’t upload it here because I am only allowed to load 14gb size file and it is 39gb. Sorry

 

For uploading a video the website admins like to have us post them to YouTube, then link that to here.  

That keeps the memory space usage down.